Hello Possums,

i hope everyone is well... i am. working hard on my workshops, and finding that balance between enjoying every moment i can in my wonderful country. and planning to go back to canada.

Last week i had my week in the Ashram, having planned it in August of last year its been a long time coming!
the trip getting there was amusing to say the least. the bus to pick me up from Blenheim was 20 mins late to start with and then on a very windy hill... the trailer broke and detached it self from the bus only to be dragged by the safty chain. not wanting to miss my connection to Takaka i grabed my bags (while everyone else was was waiting on the side of the road) and hitched the rest of the way to Nelson.

little did i know... that the bus that broke down WAS my connection to Takaka. so i ended up sitting at the information center for over an hour waiting for the very bus that had broken down to start with!.

needless to say that i was not there when the people from the retreat came to pick me up. arriving in Takaka 1.5 hours late. i checked into a back packers for the night, and found new and interesting ways to appreciate being woken up at 3am by drunk stupid men who then decided to snore violently for the rest of the night. breathe, must breathe.

so not surprising that by the time i actually got the the retreat the peacfulness and the serenity of the place was well needed.

in fact going there in general was exactly what i needed. i had 4 privte lessons with Swami Muktidhama in 3 days. spent time with his lovely wife Kama Karuna, thier 9 year old daughter Sundari, and the rest of the guests, both perminant, and temporary.

The house i stayed in was run on basic solar power. and only did the 12v light (to be used only when realy nessasary) so to keep in the spirit of "simplicity" i decided to embrace living by candelight. taking my showers at night by the warm glow of the flame, lit the fire for heat, and found my steps though the house by the travelling light of a portable candle, just like wee willy winkle.

the food was simple but really good. mostly coming from thier own garden. i didnt even miss chocolate for the 4 days that i was there. and not talking from 9pm - 8.15am was somewhat a chellenge. the evenings were ok... but after getting up at 5.30am for asana and then breakfast at 7.30am after chanting... by the time 8.10am came around i found myself clock watching, eager to see how everyone slept and what they had planned for the day.

i loved the way the peace and simplicity of the place just seaped into my bones... the meditation room where all practise was done was just unbeilevable, it was round with the walls made of earth and a hole in the top with natural light pouring onto the offerings of flowers and candles, and the warm fire radiating heat from one side, making it especially inviting on a cold morning.

my lessons with "Mukti" were not quite what i expected. instead of being straight, and intimidating with his knowledge and love for yoga. i surprisingly found him to be very warm hearted, very candid, and very human. clearly having profound talent in the art and techniques of yoga, he discribed himself as mearly a hose, that needs to be as clean as possible, so that the pure water of the devine can flow though him.

i highly recommend going to this amazing place if you ever get the oppotunity.

so... now im back in blenheim. my best friend Toni is coming down this week to spend some time with me. i have some press to do for my workshops in march. and its my little cousins 13th birthday. all very exciting...

love and pixie dust.